queer: Originally pejorative for gay, now being reclaimed by some gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons as a self-affirming umbrella term. Caution: still extremely offensive when used as an epithet.

Originally meant to describe something as unusual or strange. Became a deroggatory word to describe homosexuals. More recently, it has been reclaimed by non-heterosexuals as a word used to describe themselves. Queer can now be used to describe homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgendered people. In scholarly studies the word queer is also used to describe those who practice unconventional sex (e.g. bondage, etc.), therefore even heterosexuals can sometimes be defined as queer.

1. Your brother is a really queer guy.
2. I am a homosexual, part of the queer community.

Re-claimed umbrella term used to describe the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/Transsexual and general non-heterosexual communities. Queer is the opposite of Straight.

The word is becoming more acceptable than ‘Gay’ especially for homosexual woman and bisexuals who often object to being called’ gay’ which is used more often to describer gay men. It is still often used (just as ‘gay’ is) as an insult to queer people, but is taken with a pinch of salt these days.

Originaly meant strange or odd. Now stands for anyone who is sexualy different but may or may not mean gay. Queer covers any type of gender or sexual attitudes that are outside of the mainstream of one man one woman monogamy. You can be Queer and still have a heterosexual orientation if you have unusual sexual or gender identites, philosophies or habits.

Queer is a one word covers all that includes:
Lesbian/Bi-sexual/GayTransgender/BDSM/
Chubby-chaser/Poly-amory ect...ect...

2.- A person who is not heterosexual. The word was meant as an insult but has been reclaimed by many non-heterosexual folks, many of whom use it to describe one another. It is still often considered rude to use the word "queer" in this context unless you self-identify as "queer".

That's a queer colour, Bob. What did you do, mix pink, purple and yellow?